Dead Souls Volume Three (Parts 27 to 39)

by Amy Cross

  Looking along the side of the house, Benjamin saw Edgar's silhouette stepping back, as if in defeat. He waited, convinced that Edgar would start to attack again, but finally he realized that even Edgar was going to have to admit the need for a different approach.

  “What's wrong?” he called out, heading along to find Edgar staring up at the dark windows. “Edgar, we have to find a way in there!”

  “Force alone is no use,” Edgar replied. “I used to think force could solve any problem, but Kate told me I should sometimes seek other methods. The idea seemed absurd at the time, but perhaps she was right.”

  “So what are we going to do? Dig a tunnel?”

  “A tunnel already exists,” Edgar continued, “but on this occasion I doubt it would help us to get inside. Quillian will have thought of that, and the barrier is clearly designed to ensure that no living creatures are able to -” Pausing, he seemed lost in thought for a moment, before turning to Benjamin. “There might, however, be another type of tunnel that can help us. One that can be traversed by another type of creature.”

  “Whatever it is, we need to hurry.”

  Looking over at the fountain in the garden, Edgar paused, before taking a deep breath. Holding up his right hand, he seemed to be waiting for something, as if he was studying the air all around them.

  “Well?” Benjamin asked, trying not to panic.

  “Have you ever been to one of my parties?” Edgar asked.

  “Madeleine has told me about them, but do you really think this is a good time to hold one?”

  “I think this might be the perfect time to hold one,” he replied, snapping his fingers. In the blink of an eye, the entire garden filled with wandering souls, most of them wearing masks and elegant clothing as they drank champagne. At the same time, the doors of the main ballroom had suddenly opened, and light streamed out from the interior while music drifted through the air. None of the guests seemed remotely aware that anything was wrong, however; they were laughing and joking, as if the party was one of Edgar's best yet.

  “We can get in!” Benjamin said, taking a step forward.

  “I doubt it,” Edgar replied. “The forces are still there, keeping us out. However...” He watched the party-guests for a moment, as if he was looking for one in particular, and finally he watched as a couple made their way through the door and into the ballroom. “I was right,” he continued, with a faint smile. “We might not be able to go inside, but the dead souls are not so encumbered. We can send them in with a message.”

  “And then what?”

  “At least we can warn the others that Quillian is inside. They might be able to deal with him.”

  “But -”

  “You said it yourself. Madeleine has a great deal of potential, so hopefully she'll be able to live up to her promise and find a way to stop that madman before it's too late.”

  “And if she can't.”

  “She will.”

  As they made their way forward, mingling with the guests, neither of them noticed a teenaged girl watching them from the other side of the fountain. With striking blonde hair and dark eyebrows, she was wearing a beautiful, pale blue dress that was torn at the hemline, and there was an undeniably wild, almost frantic expression in her eyes. She ducked down, making sure to keep out of sight as they passed, but once they were over on the other side of the garden she peered around again. Her gaze was focused particularly on Edgar, as if she couldn't bear to stop watching him.

  “There you are,” she whispered with a faint smile. “Oh father, you look so young.”

  II

  “Well this is a surprise,” Kate said, stepping into the ballroom and looking around at all the dancers, while a band played on a stage at the far end. “I didn't know there was going to be another party again. Edgar, what are you up to?”

  Having been on her way to knock on Madeleine's door, Kate had been stopped in her tracks a moment earlier as the darkened house had lit up with the party's glittering lights. She knew that Edgar had a tendency to hold sudden, impromptu gatherings of the dead souls he'd collected over the years, but they never occurred while he was away from the house, and as she made her way across the ballroom she realized that there was no sign of him at all.

  “Where are you?” she whispered.

  “Oh, isn't it wonderful?” asked a portly man as he approached, grinning from ear to ear. “I do so love it when Baron Le Compte surprises us with one of his glorious events!” He held out a pale, shimmering hand. “Anthony Pease, delighted to meet you!”

  “I think I might have seen you at one of these events before,” she replied, shaking his hand.

  “Really? I'm sure I'd remember meeting a lovely lady such as yourself.”

  “I guess from your perspective,” she muttered, “it hasn't happened yet.”

  “Isn't this all so marvelous?” he continued. “I sometimes wonder whether Baron Le Compte will ever run out of ways to surprise us?”

  “It's great,” Kate replied, looking around in the hope of seeing Edgar somewhere. “Have you seen Baron Le Compte anywhere?”

  “Why, no,” the man continued. “He is such a marvelous host, though, so I imagine he is in great demand. Perhaps he's out in the garden?”

  Glancing toward the large, open doors at the far end of the ballroom, Kate tried to tell herself not to worry, that the party's sudden appearance meant that somehow everything was okay and that Edgar had managed to force Quillian away from the island. As she pushed her way through the crowd of dancers, however, she began to feel more and more certain that something was wrong, and when she reached the doors and looked out at the garden, that sense was only confirmed: although she could see the garden and the fountain, her view seemed strangely blurred, as if she was looking through some kind of filter. Reaching out, she found that her hand was unable to pass through the doorway, as if she was being held inside by a barrier. Pushing a little harder, she saw the air in front of her starting to warp with her hand.

  “What the hell?” she whispered.

  “Having fun?” asked a masked woman as she slipped past, stepping out into the garden with a champagne flute in one hand.

  “No,” Kate muttered, still trying to get her hand past the barrier, “I'm not.” Watching the woman, she saw that as she walked further away, she was becoming increasingly blurred. Finally she took a step back, trying to work out what was happening. “Edgar, what's going on?” she whispered. “Come on, give me some kind of clue.”

  ***

  Outside in the garden, on the other side of the fountain, the blonde-haired girl was still watching Edgar and Benjamin, while also making sure not to get spotted.

  “There must be someone here who can deliver a message to the house,” Edgar muttered, looking around at the masked figures as they laughed and drank.

  “Can't you just pick anyone?” Benjamin asked, trying not to let his frustration boil over.

  “It must be someone with a connection to someone who's inside,” Edgar replied. “Most of these souls are just people I've collected over the years. They're here for the party, but in life they had no link to the house whatsoever.” Glancing around, he realized that while there were plenty of party guests, they were all old, lost souls that had died a long time ago, and none of them could possibly be considered suitable.

  “So who exactly are those people?” Benjamin asked, taking a step forward as he saw dark shapes beyond the edge of the garden, watching from the shadows. “It's like they want to come into the light of the party, but something's holding them back.”

  “Those are dead souls I have not permitted to join the festivities,” Edgar replied dismissively. “I only allow people of stature, or people with passionate hearts, to come and -” Stopping suddenly, he saw that one of the shadowy figures was standing much closer than the others, as if something was forcing him to approach the house, or drawing him closer. “Of course,” he whispered, pushing past Benjamin and hurrying to the edge of the garden. “Come over here
!” he called out to the figure. “I have a job for you.”

  With a hint of hesitation, the figure stepped forward. As he reached the edge of the garden and emerged from the shadows, he seemed a little scared, as if he was worried that Edgar might strike out at him at any moment.

  “Adam!” Benjamin exclaimed as he saw the man's face. “Adam Kazakos, I know you! But...” He paused, as the truth sank in. “You died,” he continued, suddenly feeling a shiver pass through his soul. “It was a while ago now, but...”

  “What are you doing here?” Edgar asked Adam. “I might use you from time to time as a dogsbody, but I thought I made it clear that you were not to come to the house unless specifically directed to do so?”

  “You did,” Adam replied, “but...” Staring past Edgar, he seemed preoccupied with the main building.

  “But what?” Edgar asked. “Is there someone in my home? Someone important to you?”

  “My wife.”

  “Your wife? The woman from the shop?” Edgar paused. “That's impossible. She's dead.”

  Adam turned to him, with shock in his eyes.

  “Then again,” Edgar continued, turning to look at the house, “if she were dead, she would not be in there and she would not be attracting your attention. The only possible explanation is that somehow...” Pausing, he turned back to Adam. “Come forward, man. Step fully into the light.”

  “She can't be dead,” Adam stammered as he stepped off the grass and into the light of the party. “We have a daughter, Anna needs her mother!”

  “I can't explain what your wife is doing in my home,” Edgar replied, “but your mere presence here is proof that she is in there, which means that somehow she must be alive again. That being the case, you might be the only person who is capable of going inside and delivering a vital message.”

  “I just want to see her,” he whispered.

  “I will grant you that, but first you must find someone else in the house. Kate Langley, or James Nixon, either of them will do.”

  “Or Madeleine,” Benjamin reminded him.

  “Or Madeleine,” Edgar agreed. “Just find one of them and tell them that Quillian is in the house somewhere. Tell them that there's a barrier, preventing me from getting inside.”

  “And me,” Benjamin added.

  Edgar turned to him.

  “It's keeping me out too,” Benjamin reminded him. “I might actually be able to help, you know.”

  “Tell them they have to find Quillian and kill him,” Edgar continued, “or at least drive him out of the house. Either that, or they have to weaken him so that he's no longer able to project the barrier from his mind. I have to get in there before he finishes whatever he's planning.”

  “And then I can be with my wife?” Adam asked.

  “And then I will find a way to reward you,” Edgar told him. “That's the best I can do right now, but you have to hurry.”

  “I'll do it,” Adam replied, stepping past him and heading toward the doors that led into the ballroom. “As long as I get to see Jennifer again, I'll do anything you ask.”

  “And hurry,” Edgar continued, keeping pace with him as they passed the fountain, not noticing the blonde-haired girls as she ducked out of sight. “Midnight has long since passed and I'm certain that whatever Quillian is planning, he'll seek to have it done by sunrise.”

  He watched as Adam stepped through into the house.

  “In all my life,” Edgar said firmly, “I have never felt so powerless. This must be what it is like to be a normal person.” He paused. “I don't like it.”

  “Edgar,” Benjamin added, catching up to him, “I don't mean to alarm you, but I've spotted someone among the guests.”

  Edgar turned to him.

  “There's a girl,” Benjamin continued, looking toward the fountain but finding that the girl was out of sight. “She's not like the others,” he added. “I can't put my finger on it, but she seems to be watching you, and she's trying very hard to make sure you don't see her.”

  “I'm sure she's just another of the guests.”

  “I don't think so. She's young, she looks like she's in her teens, and there's something about her eyes. I could swear I've seen her before, but I'm not sure where.”

  Watching the party-guests for a moment, Edgar waited for some sign of the girl.

  “I don't see her,” he said finally.

  “Neither do it,” Benjamin replied, “not now, but... I'm not imagining things.” He turned back to Edgar. “Do you think it's important? Could it be something to do with whatever Quillian's doing?”

  “I doubt it,” Edgar told him. “I don't have time to worry about some teenager right now. I need to try to think of another way into the house.”

  “I'm sure Adam Kazakos will deliver the message,” Benjamin replied, taking a step back and looking up at the mansion's top windows. “Madeleine will know what to do.”

  ***

  “What do you mean?” Kate asked, as she stood at the far end of the ballroom and listened to Adam's explanation. “A barrier? What kind of barrier?”

  “I only know what he told me,” Adam replied, as Nixon joined them. “Someone named Quillian is inside the house, and Baron Le Compte says you have to weaken him so the barrier drops.”

  “I knew I heard someone creeping about,” Kate said, turning to Nixon. “If he's in here -”

  “Then we have a problem,” Nixon told her. “It would be one thing if Quillian gained access and immediately set about trying to kill everyone, but that's not what he's doing, is it? He's obviously got some other kind of plan in mind, something that requires him to move more carefully.”

  “We need to get everyone together,” Kate replied, trying not to panic. “If you fetch Madeleine, I'll find Estella and Jacob. Whatever's going on, the four of us together should be able to come up with a plan.”

  “Do you have any idea how powerful Quillian is?” Nixon asked. “Even if he's still not at full strength, the fact that he dared to come here tonight means that he's confident, and the fact that he's confident means -”

  “Adam!” a voice called out suddenly.

  Turning, Kate was shocked to see Jennifer running through the door and putting her arms around her dead husband, with tears in her eyes.

  “What are you doing here?” Jennifer asked, before taking a step back. “Where's Anna?”

  “You're alive!” Kate said, shocked to see that her friend had returned. She stepped forward and put a hand on Jennifer's arm, as if she expected to find that she somehow wasn't real.

  “I woke up in some kind of crypt,” Jennifer replied, turning to her. “Where's Anna?”

  “Anna's -” Pausing, Kate realized she wasn't quite sure how to break the news. “She's not here in the house. That's a good thing, right?”

  “What aren't you telling me?” Jennifer asked. “What's wrong?”

  “She was taken,” Kate continued. “Quill arranged it, or Quillian, or whatever his real name is. He had her sent away to an orphanage, we tried to stop him but we were too late.”

  “I have to get her back,” Jennifer said, clearly starting to panic. “Where's the orphanage? On the mainland?”

  “I think so, but -”

  “How could you let this happen?”

  “I tried to stop him,” Kate told her, “but everything was happening so quickly. I'm sure Edgar will know where she's been taken, though. We can get her back as soon as -”

  “We're getting her back now!” Jennifer replied, turning to Adam. “I think I sensed her. I can't explain it, but when I woke up a few minutes ago, it was like I could feel her calling out to me. She's terrified.”

  “Baron Le Compte said there's a barrier around the house,” he told her. “I don't think you can get out right now.”

  “I'll find a way,” she replied, turning and hurrying across the ballroom, and Adam immediately made his way after her.

  “So Edgar's stuck on the outside, is he?” Nixon said after a moment, turning to Kate.
“I bet he's loving that. Patience has never been one of his better qualities. I imagine he's been trying to use brute force, but if Quillian's able to project a barrier at even half-strength, I think we'll need a more creative solution.”

  “What do you think he's planning to do?” Kate asked.

  “Quillian? No idea, but if I was him, I wouldn't have come here unless I had something very specific in mind. He waited until Edgar was out of the picture, too, which makes me think that he doesn't see this as part of the endgame.”

  “Find Madeleine,” Kate replied. “I'll get the others and we'll meet in the study. There has to be -”

  Before she could finish, she let out a gasp of pain and dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach.

  “Kate, are you alright?” Leaning down, he tried to help her up, but the pain was clearly too strong.

  “It's happening again,” she winced, before letting out another gasp. “I don't know what's wrong, but it feels like something's burning inside my body!”

  ***

  “It's not wrong of me,” Estella whispered, as she slowly slid the needle into the doll's belly, “to want the perfect wedding. It's not wrong of me to get rid of anything or anyone that stands in my way.”

  With dried tears still glistening on her cheeks, she stared at the doll for a moment, before sliding the needle back out. She paused, feeling a sliver of pity for Kate, before stiffening her resolve and moving the tip of the needle to the doll's chest, directly over the heart. She'd fantasized about trying the doll again, but now she felt as if she had no other choice: all she cared about was her wedding, and the need to have Edgar all to herself.

  “It's not wrong of me,” she continued, “to know what I want and to take it. It's not wrong of me to weigh up the consequences and make a rational decision. One life will be lost, but others...” She began to slide the needle through the doll's chest, imagining Kate's screams in the process. “Others will be improved. Edgar and I shall have lots of beautiful children, and their lives combined will more than make up for any loss here.”